WILTSHIRE children can now return to the care of Naomi House charity hospice after the completion of a 19-month refurbishment, costing £4 million.

The children's hospice opened in 1997 at a site near Winchester, Hampshire, providing a home-from-home care environment for children from seven counties, including Wiltshire.

But as family needs changed, the hospice needed updating and the £4 million refurbishment project began in February last year (2014).

Now, the hospice can accommodate the latest equipment and to create new space in which to care for the region’s life-limited and life-threatened children.

During this time, children who ordinarily receive care at Naomi House stayed in specially converted rooms at the charity’s sister hospice, Jacksplace, next door.

Mark Smith, Naomi House chief executive, said the new-look hospice would be better placed to serve the modern needs of families.

“The staff and volunteer team at Naomi House pride ourselves on delivering high quality, compassionate, individualised care to families from across the region and have done so for nearly 20 years," he said.

“The children we serve are now living longer due to increased medical knowledge and technology, and so the complexity of care now required needs a state of the art building and highly trained staff to meet these demands.

“Naomi House is now the most advanced children’s hospice in the region, providing a fully comprehensive hospice service to families, under the guidance of a specially trained Paediatric Palliative Care Consultant and medical team.”

Improvements include hoists throughout the hospice building, piped oxygen and suction in every room, a new heating system that can maintain precise temperatures in each room of the hospice, and an array of sensory equipment for children with special needs.

The new hospice also includes larger bedrooms, additional bathrooms, a new ‘Butterfly’ bereavement suite, spiritual spaces, therapy rooms, a sensory room, wheelchair charging points and luxurious accommodation for families.

The garden has also undergone a major transformation and contractors are busy creating a number of distinct spaces within the gardens, including two quiet spaces for peaceful contemplation, a roof garden that is accessed through the hospice’s new spiritual space and a children’s garden that features an enormous wheelchair accessible galleon, water features and play equipment.

For more information about the hospice, log on to www.naomihouse.org.uk.